Have you been meaning to set up an appointment to ask about research data management for your project, an aspect of your research workflow, or a specific DH tool or method? Visit one of our drop-in sessions and we will help you on the spot! No need to make an appointment!

The sessions are designed to support researchers, students, and staff members in all areas of digital scholarship. The initiative is a collaboration between Artes Research, DH-support staff and researchers at the Faculty of Arts, and ICTS at the Faculty of Arts.

Don’t have a question about any of the above but want to learn more about DH? No problem! Come and use our space for co-working! It’s a great moment to develop digital skills by starting a Programming Historian tutorial, for instance!

Everyone is welcome to attend, you do not need to register!

Stop by on one of the following dates and we will be glad to help you:

• 29/01/2026: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis
• 19/02/2026: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis
• 19/03/2026: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis
• 28/04/2026: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis
• 26/05/2026: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis
• 25/06/2026: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis

Are you interested in presenting your work at the Open Science Day?

The Open Science Day is organized for and by researchers at KU Leuven and the KU Leuven Association, as an opportunity to take part in the discussion about Open Science. Researchers can showcase their own Open Science efforts, shed a light on difficulties they might encounter or share experiences and solutions.

Indeed, Open Science is an integral part of today’s research. It encompasses a wide range of practices and outputs across all stages of the research lifecycle. For instance, researchers share their publications via repositories, publish in Open Access journals, and disseminate early findings through preprints. They make their data FAIR, preregister their research protocols, and engage the public through Citizen Science initiatives.

Challenges include selecting the most appropriate channel for publishing research, considering the economic implications of this choice, as well as managing the learning curve and time investment required to implement certain Open Science principles. At the same time, researchers must navigate various considerations, including GDPR compliance, intellectual property rights, and research security. KU Leuven is committed to Open Science, guided by the principle: “as open as possible, as closed as necessary.”

Many things to discuss! Submit your proposal on the Open Science website.

In short

• For who: This call is intended to researchers of the KU Leuven Association.
• Formats: presentations (+/- 15 minutes, depending on submissions), posters, workshop. Other contribution types may be considered by the scientific committee.
• Language: English
• Submission: submissions can be made through the website
• Abstract submission deadline: 31 January 2026 (23:59 CET)
• Event date: 6 May 2026

RDM covers a wide range of subjects, with extensive information that requires practical implementation. Within KU Leuven, there are training sessions specifically designed to cultivate practical RDM skills. For researchers within the field of Humanities and Social Sciences, we recommend this upcoming training session to get yourself acquainted with RDM.

These events are only open to KU Leuven researchers and staff

Program

Research data management (RDM) refers to how you handle your data during and after your research project to ensure they are well organized, structured, of high quality and Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR). During this session you will learn best practices for the management of research data according to the FAIR data principles. We consider the technical, legal, and ethical aspects of research data, secure storage of materials, documentation and metadata, research data sharing, reusing data shared by others, and more. This solid grounding in basic RDM skills will help you make informed decisions on how to handle your research data. Additionally, you will learn how to write and maintain your own Data Management Plan (DMP). 

The training consists of two parts: 

• A short general introduction on Research Data Management  (20’ – 25’)  
• Followed by small interactive group sessions, where participants dicuss their Data Management Plan (DMP), under the guidance of an RDM expert.

Practicalities

• When: December 1, 2025 from 14:00 to 16:00
• Where: Online
• For who: This training is mainly aimed at doctoral researchers, preferably at the start of their PhD or project.
• Price and registration: Free but mandatory
• More info: Click here

This event is only open to KU Leuven researchers, students and staff.

In March 2026, KU Leuven Libraries and the Faculty of Arts will organize the second edition of the BiblioTech Hackathon!

What is a hackathon? It is an event that is usually organized over a short period of time where participants come together in small groups and work intensively on a creative digital project or towards some digital end. In the case of BiblioTech, KU Leuven researchers, students, or staff will be divided into small groups and will work specifically on one of the datasets prepared (by LIBIS) for the hackathon. The groups will be guided by at least one group leader and will be able to rely on the help of an expert pool comprised of people who have specific technical knowledge and skills. The groups are free to follow their creative inspiration but must apply some digital approaches or tools to the dataset to produce an end result that will be presented in the form of a short presentation and a poster at the closing event of the hackathon.

Who are we looking for? One of the amazing benefits of hackathons is that they allow many different people with diverse backgrounds and skill sets to come together and to learn from one another. This is our goal for BiblioTech! We welcome applications from researchers at all stages of their careers, motivated students, and also KU Leuven staff members. Digital skills are not a must, but a willingness to learn about digital approaches definitely is. The hackathon should be a fun and engaging experience, and each participant should find themselves with new skills and perspectives at the end.

What about the data? The 2026 edition of the BiblioTech Hackathon is going places! Participants will have the option to work with two datasets both focused on the experience of travel. The first dataset comes from KU Leuven Libraries digitized collections and features historical picture postcards. The second dataset comprises historical travelogues. This combination of image, metadata, and textual materials provides many opportunities for the application of DH methods. We are all excited to see where this data leads you! 

Practical details

The hackathon will span 10 days and will take place from Monday 16 March until Thursday 26 March. In addition to the working period of the hackathon, there will be a pre-hackathon brainstorming event where participants “Meet the Data, Meet the People,” prior to the start of the hackathon, a training day to learn how to use the infrastructure (ManGO and HPC service), and a closing event where the teams’ projects are presented.

• When: Mark your calendars for the following dates:
  • Application Deadline: 5 January 2026 (23:59 CET)
  • Pre-Hackathon Brainstorm | Meet the Data, Meet the People: 12 March 2026
  • Infrastructure Training: 13 March 2026
  • Hackathon Working Period: 16–26 March 2026
  • Hackathon Closing Event: 26 March 2026
  • from Monday 13 March until Thursday 23 March
• Where: Leuven (see above for more details)
• For whom: We welcome applications from researchers at all stages of their careers, motivated students, and also KU Leuven staff members. Digital skills are not a must, but a willingness to learn about digital approaches definitely is.
• Price: free
• Registration: Already convinced and want to take part? Great! Submit an application here. The deadline to apply is 5 January 2026 (23:59 CET).  We look forward to hacking with you!

Want to see further details? Check out the BiblioTech Hackathon website for the most current information.

3 days- 3 Webinars

This edition of Open Access Week is dedicated to researchers and their need for guidance through open access publication models and projects.

Join together, take action, and raise awareness about the importance of open knowledge sharing

Program

Monday October 20|12:30-13:30: 

• Theme: OPEN ACCESS TO PUBLICATIONS IN HORIZON EUROPE
• Speaker: Victoria Tsoukala (Policy Officer – European Commission – Unit A4- Open Science & Research Infrastructures)
• Registration

This session will explore the Horizon Europe Open Access rules and provide practical insights into their implementation. We will discuss how project officers are trained, which units are responsible, common questions from stakeholders, relevant statistics, lessons learned, and key takeaways for the next program cycle. We also anticipate questions and feedback from researchers who are applying these rules in practice. Their experiences will help enrich the discussion, and we hope the webinar will serve as a platform for sharing advice, best practices, and challenges.

Wednesday October 22|12:30-13:30: 

• Theme: HOW TO RETAIN CONTROL OVER YOUR PUBLICATIONS IN THE AGE OF AI ?
• Speaker: Mr. Joris Deene, Everest Advocaten, legal advisor SA&S
• Registration

As an academic author, navigating copyright in the era of Open Access can be challenging. In this session, you will learn how to strategically manage and retain your rights before, during, and after publication. We provide you with concrete tools and legal insights to maximize the impact of your work.

After this session, you will be able to:

• Choose and apply the right Creative Commons license for your specific goals.
• Understand and exercise your statutory right of secondary publication under Belgian law.
• Implement a rights retention strategy to secure your author’s rights before signing a publishing agreement.
• Navigate the challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic publishing, focusing on copyright implications and publisher policies.

Friday October 24|12:30-14:00: 

• Theme: DIAMOND OPEN ACCESS
• Speakers : Clément Dessy (FNRS Research Associate- ULB, co-editor of the journal COnTEXTES ), Geoffrey Compère (FNRS Research Director- ULB, senior editor of Scipost Physics), Jonathan Dumont (PhD – Project Manager – ULiège Library)
• Registration

In response to growing concerns about equity and accessibility in scholarly publishing, an increasing number of researchers are advocating for the establishment of Diamond Open Access journals, which provide unrestricted access to research outputs for readers and enable authors to publish without incurring Article Processing Charges (APCs), thereby fostering inclusivity and the democratization of knowledge.

The webinar speakers will present complementary perspectives on Diamond Open Access publishing, including founding a new journal, converting an existing one, and serving as a senior editor on a Diamond Open Access platform.

Practicalities

• When: October 20-26, 2025 with webinars on 20, 22 and 24 October
• Where: Online
• For who: Anyone who needs guidance through open access publication models and projects.
• Price and registration: Free but mandatory.
• More info: Click here

These events are only open to KU Leuven researchers and staff

PhD Researchers at KU Leuven, ready to plan your next training? Willing to learn more about Open Science? Join us on 23 October for the Open Science Discovery. You can participate in the morning session, in an afternoon workshop, or both.

Program

Morning: Open Science Discovery
Explore key themes like reproducible research, Citizen Science, and how to implement Open Science in your own work. Join online or in-person!

This training is an opportunity to learn more about different Open Science principles and how they contribute to high-quality research. Special attention will be paid to the reproducibility of research and to Citizen Science as a means to create a connection with society. This session includes a workshop during which participants will explore in small groups how Open Science can be implemented in practice. This is followed by a discussion on potential challenges as well as strategies on how to overcome them.

Afternoon: Hands-on Workshops
Choose your session:

• Peer Review: A key element of the publication process, essential for validating research.
• Preregistration: Learn how preregistration supports research integrity by distinguishing between exploratory and confirmatory research.
• Data Sharing: Explore the concept of FAIR data and responsible sharing, guided by the principle “as open as possible, as restricted as necessary.”

Practicalities

• When: October 23, 2025 from 09h30 to 18h00
• Where: Hybrid (on-site sessions at Kasteelpark Arenberg (Thermotechnical Institute & MTM)
• For who: Training targeted at PhD researchers, but other researchers and support staff are welcome.
• Price and registration: Free but mandatory. Click here to register. Certificate of participation included.
• More info: Open Science helpdesk

Are you a Digital Humanities student or early career researcher in Belgium who would like to discuss DH with other early career researchers in the Belgian DH community? If so, you might be interested in joining the DH Virtual Discussion Group for ECRs!

The DH Virtual Discussion Group is a joint initiative organized by individuals at multiple Belgian institutions. We strive to involve speakers from all Belgian institutions and encourage participation from all those who are interested in DH and are located at any Belgian institution. This year, the core organizers are Leah Budke (KU Leuven Libraries Artes), Tom Gheldof (KU Leuven, CLARIAH-VL+), Paavo van der Eecken (University of Antwerp), and Loren Verreyen (University of Antwerp). Over the past years, the series has become a regular event. The fall 2025 edition proudly marks our eleventh term.

Our first two sessions this fall will continue the “under-the-hood” format, which entails a volunteer from our community providing a thirty-minute overview of a digital project implementing a given tool, approach, or platform. This is not meant to be a polished research presentation, or to present findings or results, but rather to give our community a behind-the-scenes look at how decisions were made and why specific tools were chosen or developed. The hope is also that this presenter will give attendees some ideas about how to get started implementing a specific tool or workflow, and that they can also answer questions or contribute to a discussion on other projects in our community that might be using similar methodologies or addressing similar issues. This “under-the-hood” session format allows us to have focused discussions around a specific project where we can learn from each other in an informal way. In addition, by implementing this format we can maintain the low threshold for contributing and engaging in the conversations.

Our final session will be a round table session during which 3-4 members of our community chat with us about their experience doing a PhD with a Digital Humanities component.

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The following sessions are on the schedule for the fall 2025 semester (details will be updated as confirmed):

Session 1
Monday 20 October, 15h-16h30 CEST via Teams
Speaker(s): Theodora Rontzova, KU Leuven
Title: Cultural Heritage in Virtual Worlds – the IMPULSE Project
Abstract: My presentation will introduce IMPULSE, a project that aims to enhance accessibility to digitized cultural heritage collections through immersive technology, fostering diverse narrative and public engagement. Over the course of three years, IMPULSE will enhance accessibility to digitized cultural content, optimize streamline digitization processes in the three focus areas of education, artistic creation and CCSIs, develop legal frameworks to mitigate risks and barriers in utilizing cultural heritage data, and foster collaborative creation on immersive platforms. My presentation will provide an overview of the most recent developments within the different Work Packages of the project, with focus on the findings of the two recent workshops in Leuven and in Malta. I will share insights from the development of the virtual platform that will lead to the project’s final Hackathon later this year, and I will finally invite participants to engage with our Community of Practice.

Session 2
Monday 17 November, 15h-16h30 CET via Teams
Speaker(s): Sara Budts, VUB
Title: Finding Patterns in Lottery Rhymes of the Late Medieval and Early Modern Low Countries with and without AI
Abstract: This presentation explores the patterns in lottery rhymes produced in the late medieval and early modern Low Countries, with a focus on the rhymes written by women. The lottery was a popular fundraising event in the Low Countries. Lottery rhymes, personal messages attached to the lottery tickets, provide a valuable source for historians. We collected more than 11,000 digitised short texts from five lotteries held between 1446 and 1606. We have used GysBERT, a language model of historical Dutch, to identify distinctively male and female discourses in the lottery rhymes corpus. Although the model pointed us to some interesting patterns, it also showed that lottery rhymes written by men and women do not radically differ from each other. This is consistent with insights from premodern women’s history which stresses that women worked within societal, and in this case literary, conventions, sometimes subverting them, sometimes adapting them, sometimes adopting them unchanged.

Session 3 – Round Table Session
Monday 15 December, 15h-16h30 CET via Teams
Speaker(s): To be confirmed
Session Description: This session features insights from 3-4 PhD researchers in our network who are working with DH methods. The session is designed to be free-flowing and informal, but you can expect the following avenues of discussion: (1) how the researcher became interested or started integrating DH methods in their research, (2) the challenges faced when learning new DH skills, (3) important resources that have helped throughout this process, (4) other challenges encountered related to the perception or acceptance of DH, and (5) specific benefits that DH methods have offered for the researcher’s work.

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There are an increasing number of conferences, workshops, and funding opportunities in DH, and we would like to ensure that you are aware of them. We will start every session with a moment for individuals to share news about upcoming lectures, workshops, seminars, and conferences. We have a corresponding Slack group where we also share these opportunities both during the discussion group meetings and in between. The link to join the Slack group is included in every email sent out to the mailing list, so watch for it there or send us an email to request access.

If you would like to register or invite other colleagues to join, please complete the registration form for the mailing list here. Please note, if you have received emails from us about the Discussion Group in the past, it means you are already on our mailing list. In that case, there is no need to register again—you will receive the emails with the MS Teams link and any additional information on the day of the session. Additionally, you will also receive updates on upcoming sessions including further details about speakers and the “under-the-hood” presentation topics. 

Are you a frequent attendee of the DH Virtual Discussion Group and would like a low-threshold way to become more involved in the organization? We are looking for ambassadors to promote the group within their university networks. If this might be a role you would like to take on, get in touch and we can tell you more!

We look forward to seeing you this fall!

This event is only open to KU Leuven researchers and staff.

The Artes Research team from KU Leuven Libraries Artes and the ABAP council will kick off the new academic year with a special “How Do You Do (It)?” (HDYDI) session dedicated to research data workflows. This special session will coincide with the start of the Digital Scholarship Module taught by the Artes Research team. It will take place on Thursday 6 November, 14:00-16:30, in the Justus Lipsiuszaal (Erasmushuis, Leuven).

Everyone is welcome to attend, you do not need to register!

Program

14:00-15:00

To help you through the afternoon slump, we will start with coffee and cookies which will be served in the main entrance hall of the Erasmushuis.

15:00-16h30

We will then move up to the 8^th floor (Justus Lipsiuszaal) to start the session which will feature talks from researchers at the Faculty of Arts who outline their research workflows: how do they approach their research, what tools do they use, with what kind of data are they working, etc. We will get a behind-the-scenes look from:

• Tim Debroyer (Cultural History since 1750)
• Lauren Ottaviani (English Literature)
• Sinem Bilican (Interpreting Studies)

There will be lots of time for questions and getting to know each other’s workflows.

The event will take place in Leuven, but if you would like to join online you can let us know at artesresearch@kuleuven.be and we will provide you with the link.

Practical details

• When: Thursday 6 November, from 14:00 to 16:30
• Where: coffee in main entrance hall and session in Justus Lipsiuszaal (Erasmushuis, Leuven) with online option: if you would like to join online you can let us know at artesresearch@kuleuven.be and we will provide you with the link
• Price: free
• Registration: no registration required

The Flanders Training Network for Methodology and Statistics (FLAMES) is an inter-university training network comprised of Ghent University, Hasselt University, University of Antwerp, KU Leuven, and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. This network is organizing a number of statistics and methodology courses this fall.

Some courses that may be of interest to our researchers include:

03/10/2025: Photovoice – the use of participatory photography in qualitative research – ON CAMPUS
27/10/2025: Critical Discourse Analysis – ON CAMPUS
05/11/2025: Strategies in qualitative data-analysis from a Grounded Theory perspective – ON CAMPUS
07/11/2025: Introduction to Interpretability & explanability in AI with Python – ONLINE
17/11/2025: Ethnographic research and observational methods – ONLINE
24/11/2025: Using NVivo for Qualitative Data Analysis – ON CAMPUS

The above is just a selection of the courses that are on the program for this fall. To see the full list of training opportunities and to register for any of the courses, visit the FLAMES website.

Each year the Artes Research team offers the opportunity for students to do an internship with our team. During spring 2025, Helin Toprak, a student in the Advanced Master in Digital Humanities, joined us.

The Artes Research team frequently (co-)organizes training opportunities and collects training resources for researchers at the Faculty of Arts. Helin’s internship focused on this aspect of our work. During her three months with us, she developed resources on a variety of tools we find useful for our researchers. Helin created tutorials showcasing the functionalities of OpenRefine, and two Knight Lab tools, Timeline JS, and StoryMap JS.

OpenRefine is a tool that is useful for nearly all researchers who work with structured data and computational methods. An aspect of the research data workflow that is crucial in the beginning stages is data cleaning and transformation. OpenRefine is a free open-source web-based tool that allows users to do just that. During her internship, Helin created a tutorial to help researchers get started with this tool. The tutorial is designed for users who have no experience with OpenRefine and are looking to learn about the features and explore its uses.

The other two resources that Helin created focus on two tools from the Knight Lab suite. Timeline JS is an open-source tool developed to help users create interactive timelines. This is an accessible tool that anyone can use. The web-based tool just requires data that users put into a Google spreadsheet, then it’s ready to go with multiple options for customization. Advanced features allow those with more expertise to use their JSON skills to further customize their output.

StoryMap JS is also a free web-based tool developed by Knight Lab. This tool is designed to be highly visual. Users can add images and text to maps, allowing them to create a story or illustrate certain events or situations that might be relevant to their research topics. This tool is equally as accessible as Timeline JS and can be customized to fit a researcher’s needs and style.

To learn about these two tools as well as OpenRefine, you can have a look at the resources that Helin created during her internship. They are accessible via the following Zenodo record (make sure to look through all the documents in the record for each separate resource):

• Toprak, H. R. (2025, July 16). Materials for KU Leuven Libraries – Artes Research. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15982530

We would like to thank Helin for her great work during her internship! She was a pleasure to have as an intern, and we wish her all the best in her career after graduating from the Advanced Master in Digital Humanities!

Have you been meaning to set up an appointment to ask about research data management for your project, an aspect of your research workflow, or a specific DH tool or method? Visit one of our drop-in sessions and we will help you on the spot! No need to make an appointment!

The sessions are designed to support researchers, students, and staff members in all areas of digital scholarship. The initiative is a collaboration between Artes Research, DH-support staff and researchers at the Faculty of Arts, and ICTS at the Faculty of Arts.

Don’t have a question about any of the above but want to learn more about DH? No problem! Come and use our space for co-working! It’s a great moment to develop digital skills by starting a Programming Historian tutorial, for instance!

Everyone is welcome to attend, you do not need to register!

Stop by on one of the following dates and we will be glad to help you:

25/09/2025: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis

28/10/2025: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis

20/11/2025: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis

11/12/2025: 14:00h -16:00h, Het Salon LETT 00.24, Erasmushuis

—- Due to low registration numbers, this event has been cancelled —-

Yes, you read it correctly; we are having another in-person meeting! As the name suggests, the DH Virtual Discussion Group for ECRs in Belgium is usually a virtual event. We meet on a monthly basis during the academic year to keep up-to-date on all that is happening in our Belgian DH community and beyond and to hear about our members’ DH projects. The virtual format was a necessity when the group formed at the start of the pandemic, and it has worked well to fulfill the objective of bringing together people who are interested in DH from institutions all over Belgium. While we certainly intend to continue the virtual format, we are excited to organize our third annual in-person event this May (Monday 26/5, 14h00-16h00, Hoek 38, Brussels)!

This meeting of the Discussion Group will also be our special DH Benelux session. Each year we organize a special session a week or two before the annual DH Benelux conference (hosted this year in Amsterdam). During this session, members of our community who will be contributing to DH Benelux (in the form of a paper, poster, or demo) are invited to give an elevator pitch of their contribution. The format of this session holds many benefits for all who present and who attend:

1. It gives first-time presenters the opportunity to pitch their conference contribution in an informal setting and to work out some of the pre-conference nerves. Similarly, it provides all of our community members the opportunity to support our early career researchers and to encourage them as they pass this first milestone.
2. It allows our members to learn about what kind of DH work is happening in our community. We typically hear from one member of our community during each monthly session, but there is not enough time and space to hear from all our members in a more detailed presentation. The elevator pitch format is perfect for this because we can hear from many people in a short amount of time!
3. It gives insight into what to expect at a DH conference, and more specifically, what to expect at DH Benelux.
4. It promotes and supports the broader DH Benelux community, which is a tight-knit group of encouraging and inspiring people.
5. It provides inspiration and promotes further engagement within our community. With a large number of elevator pitches, the chance is greater that mutual research interests will become apparent.

We welcome attendance from anyone based at a Belgian institution (including Universities, Hogeschools, and GLAM institutions) with an interest in Digital Humanities! If this session sounds like something you would like to attend, please see below for the practical details and the link to register:

What: Special DH Benelux Session of the DH VDG
Where: Room 1.10 Malachiet, Hoek 38, Leuvenseweg 38, Brussels (location is within walking distance from the central station)
When: 14h00-16h00
Registration: open until 21/5 via OneButton

There will be cookies, coffee, tea, and water available during the session. Anyone who would like is welcome to go for a social drink at a nearby cafe together after the session. The session is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration will close on 21 May, so make sure to let us know soon if you will be joining us!

Have you been accepted to present a poster, paper, or demo at DH Benelux this year? Congratulations! We would love to have you do an elevator pitch during our meeting (timing will depend on how many people will present, but you can expect to have 3-4 minutes and a maximum of one PPT slide if desired). Please get in touch ASAP so we can get you on the schedule! You can email leah.budke@kuleuven.be to be added to the program.

While we really hope this event will have a large in-person attendance, we also realize that scheduling conflicts might prevent some of our members from being able to travel to Brussels for this event. If you would like to listen to the presentations or present your DH Benelux contribution virtually, that option is also possible. The MS Teams link for virtual access will be circulated to the mailing list the morning of the event. If you would like to present virtually, please let us know this when you contact us to be added to the program.

We hope to see you in Brussels on 26 May!

KU Leuven RDR, our institutional research data repository, has achieved CoreTrustSeal certification, making RDR the first repository in Belgium to receive this recognition.

CoreTrustSeal is an international, community-driven, non-governmental, and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable and trustworthy data infrastructures. It provides a globally recognized industry-standard certification to any data repository seeking core-level certification. At present, 155 repositories have obtained this certification, including the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, the NASA Atmospheric Science Data Center, the ETH Zurich Research Collection and UniProt. The certification is based on the Core Trustworthy Data Repositories Requirements, which outline the essential characteristics of trustworthy data repositories. All requirements are mandatory and are equally weighted, standalone items.

The CoreTrustSeal certification highlights KU Leuven’s commitment to providing trustworthy and sustainable research infrastructure and supporting open science practices. The certification, along with the updated RDM policy, ensures that research data is published transparently and sustainably.

Find out more on the CoreTrustSeal certification on de RDR website.

These events are only open to KU Leuven researchers and staff

In light of ongoing developments and concerns regarding research data storage at KU Leuven, the RDM competence centre is organising an online Q&A session. Not sure where to put the data for your current or new research project? Are you still using OneDrive instead of a more suitable storage solution – and why should you make the switch? Struggling to figure out what solution fits best with your particular type of data? Join us on May 9th at 13h and hear from ICTS and the RDM support staff about what options you have to securely store your research data in line with university guidelines. You can register below!

Program

The session will consist of two parts: a general presentation about the different storage solutions available (around 15 mins) followed by an open discussion/interactive Q&A during which you’ll be able to ask your questions to the RDM staff.

Practicalities

• When: May 9, 2025 from 13h00
• Where: Online (Microsoft Teams)
• For who: This Q&A session is for any KU Leuven researcher who has questions or concerns about research data storage
• Price and registration: Free but mandatory. Click here to register.
• More info: rdm@kuleuven.be.

OpenAlex is a database of academic authors, institutions and publications. Since its launch in January 2022, OpenAlex has received a lot of attention as an alternative to commercial research databases such as Web of Science or Scopus that would better meet academic needs and values. OpenAlex is based on a multitude of sources across all fields of science and languages, and on a global scale. A user can search by author, institution and research output, and select specifically by type of output (article, book, dataset, preprint, editorial, etc.), citations, publication date or availability in Open Access. The starting point for OpenAlex was the dataset of the discontinued Microsoft Academic Graph (which was the second largest academic search engine after Google Scholar), which was enriched and refined – a process that is still ongoing – to be able to be used as an alternative to commercial research databases for all kinds of searches and/or bibliometric analyses.

The OpenAlex data – which is shared under an open licence, namely Creative Commons Zero (CC0) – is available in three ways: via an online user interface (i.e. ‘OpenAlex Web’), via data snapshots (which enable you to save a copy of the OpenAlex database locally – as is at the time of download) and via the OpenAlex API. Use of OpenAlex Web, the data snapshots and the OpenAlex API is free of charge. There is a paid service which accomodates intensive use and offers additional support, but the free version suffices for the typical individual user.

The (lack of) cost, as well as the open philosophy behind it, is something that sets OpenAlex aside from commercial products like Web of Science and Scopus. These are expensive products and a recent study even shows that the companies behind these use specific sales strategies that maximise profits but come at the expense of the academic community. What is more, OpenAlex is lauded for its completeness and inclusivity. Web of Science and Scopus are selective databases, based on a curated set of sources (which has been criticized in the past for being too focused on particular disciplines, as well as specific languages, regions and publication types); whereas OpenAlex tries to be as complete as possible and is therefore not only more representative for disciplines like humanities, but also for the state of research in various languages on a global scale.

Quite a large number of studies analysing the quality and (dis)advantages of OpenAlex have been produced recently. The status quaestionis is:

• If one wants to get as complete a picture as possible of the research output of an author or of an institution as a whole (all scientific disciplines, all languages, all publication types), it is advisable to use OpenAlex.
• If one wants to map the OA availability of research output, it is advisable to use OpenAlex.
• For specific bibliometric analyses, it may be advisable to use Web of Science or Scopus due to the selectivity of the database and the (for the time being at least) relative superiority of the metadata, provided that one is aware of the limitations (e.g. in terms of scientific discipline, publication type and language).
• When compiling systematic reviews, it depends on the exact objective. If one wants to map scholarly literature on a particular topic as completely as possible, it is advisable to use OpenAlex; if, on the other hand, one wants to obtain a selection of scholarly literature that is representative of mainstream researchin Western Europe and North America, it is advisable to use Web of Science or Scopus for certain scientific disciplines (for other disciplines, no database is suitable for this purpose).

RDM covers a wide range of subjects, with extensive information that requires practical implementation. Within KU Leuven, there are training sessions specifically designed to cultivate practical RDM skills. For researchers within the field of Humanities and Social Sciences, we recommend these upcoming training sessions to get yourself acquainted with RDM.

These events are only open to KU Leuven researchers and staff

RDM Workshop for PhDs in Humanities and Social Sciences

Program

Research data management (RDM) refers to how you handle your data during and after your research project to ensure they are well organized, structured, of high quality and Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR). During this session you will learn best practices for the management of research data according to the FAIR data principles. We consider the technical, legal, and ethical aspects of research data, secure storage of materials, documentation and metadata, research data sharing, reusing data shared by others, and more. This solid grounding in basic RDM skills will help you make informed decisions on how to handle your research data. Additionally, you will learn how to write and maintain your own Data Management Plan (DMP). 

The training consists of two parts: 

• A short general introduction on Research Data Management  (20’ – 25’)  
• Followed by small interactive group sessions, where participants dicuss their Data Management Plan (DMP), under the guidance of an RDM expert.

Practicalities

• When: March 25, 2025 from 14:00 to 16:00
• Where: Online
• For who: This training is mainly aimed at doctoral researchers, preferably at the start of their PhD or project.
• Price and registration: Free but mandatory
• More info: Click here

Workshop Documentation & Metadata for Qualitative Research

Program

Documentation and metadata are essential to understand your data in detail, and help other researchers to find and use your data. It enables making your data more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) and improves the reproducibility of your data. Documentation and metadata are therefore of crucial importance for good Research Data Management.

Through an introductive presentation, interactive exercises, polls and brainstorm sessions you will practice how to:

• Organise data files and folders
• Identify information in a dataset and within data files
• Search for a metadata standard
• Use metadata schemes
• Deposit a dataset in RDR

Practicalities

• When: April 24, 2025 from 13:00 to 16:00
• Where: University Library, Colloquium (Mgr. Ladeuzeplein 21, 3000 Leuven)
• For who: This workshop is intended for researchers in need of knowing the basics of documentation & metadata.
• Price and registration: Free but mandatory
• More info: Click here

Join us for the KU Leuven Open Science Day 2025 on 6 May.

The KU Leuven Open Science Day is an event for and by researchers, offering an opportunity to gain deeper insights into Open Science, share experiences, and engage in discussions with fellow researchers.

Program

Our day will begin with a keynote address titled Open Science needs more than enthusiasm by Evie Vergauwe (University of Genève), who is a co-founder of the Swiss Reproducibility Network. In the afternoon, we will feature a keynote on the Citizen Science project “Community First Responders“, a Citizen Science project that was created in the context of KU Leuven’s 600^th anniversary. The Citizen Science approach is used as a method to create awareness, enthusiasm and trust for research in society and to increase the social impact of science.

The programme includes workshops on reproducibility as well as presentations and posters from scholars from diverse backgrounds: early career researchers and professors, from various disciplines such as humanities and social sciences, biomedical sciences and science, engineering and technology.  Topics will cover a great variety of Open Science practices, including preregistration and registered reports, data, open education, scholarly publishing, peer review and Citizen Science. Additionally, the poster fair will also showcase contributions from KU Leuven’s support services for Open Science and Research Data Management

Practicalities

• When: Tuesday, 6th of May from 9h00 to 17h00
• Where: Irish College (Janseniusstraat 1, Leuven)
• For who: Open to all researchers (PhD students, postdocs, professors), KU Leuven and Association and external institutions
• Registration:
  • KU Leuven and Assocation: free but mandatory
  • Other: 40 euro
  • deadline: 23d of April
• More information on the website

Are you a Digital Humanities student or early career researcher in Belgium who would like to discuss DH with other early career researchers in the Belgian DH community? If so, you might be interested in joining the DH Virtual Discussion Group for ECRs!

The DH Virtual Discussion Group is a joint initiative organized by individuals at three different Belgian institutions. We strive to involve speakers from various Belgian institutions and encourage participation from all those who are interested in DH and are located at any Belgian institution. This year, the core organizers are Leah Budke (KU Leuven Libraries Artes), Tom Gheldof (KU Leuven, CLARIAH-VL+), Sven Lieber (KBR), Paavo van der Eecken (University of Antwerp), and Loren Verreyen (University of Antwerp). Over the past years, the series has become a regular event. The spring 2025 edition proudly marks our tenth term.

Our first two sessions this spring will continue the “under-the-hood” format, which entails a volunteer from our community providing a thirty-minute overview of a digital project implementing a given tool, approach, or platform. This is not meant to be a polished research presentation, or to present findings or results, but rather to give our community a behind-the-scenes look at how decisions were made and why specific tools were chosen or developed. The hope is also that this presenter will give attendees some ideas about how to get started implementing a specific tool or workflow, and that they can also answer questions or contribute to a discussion on other projects in our community that might be using similar methodologies or addressing similar issues. This “under-the-hood” session format allows us to have focused discussions around a specific project where we can learn from each other in an informal way. In addition, by implementing this format we can maintain the low threshold for contributing and engaging in the conversations.

Our final session will be our special DH Benelux session during which members of our community pitch their DH Benelux contribution in the form of an elevator pitch. This special session takes place in person (with option to join online), which is a fun way to bring the community together while also allowing us to learn about the diverse projects being done in the Benelux region!

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The following sessions are on the schedule for the spring 2025 semester (details will be updated as confirmed):

Session 1
Monday 17 March, 15h-16h30 CET via Teams
Please note: a last-minute change of schedule has been made. Unfortunately, Tess Dejaeghere is unable to present for us during this session. Tom Gheldof will present about the CLARIAH-VL+ project.
Speaker(s): Tom Gheldof, KU Leuven (coordinator CLARIAH-VL+)
Title: Building a DH Service Infrastructure: CLARIAH-VL(+) and Open Science in action!
Abstract: This presentation introduces CLARIAH-VL, a project that aims to advance Digital Humanities research by establishing a robust DH infrastructure in Flanders (with partners UGent, UAntwerpen, KU Leuven, VUB and the Dutch Language Institute). During the period 2021-2024, CLARIAH-VL developed several high-quality and user-friendly DH tools or tool suites, the so-called Service Infrastructure Components (SICs). In this presentation, an overview of these SICs will be provided, spanning disciplines and DH methods such as Named Entity Linking, semantic annotation, TEI XML editing, topic detection and much more. Finally, this presentation will also highlight how the new project phase (under the acronym CLARIAH-VL+) will further develop its DH infrastructure and stays committed to Open Science and public engagement, not only by ensuring accessibility and alignment with European research infrastructures like CLARIN-ERIC and DARIAH-EU, but also by reaching out to other partners for Digital Humanities research in Flanders and beyond.

Session 2
Monday 28 April, 15h-16h30 CEST via Teams
Speaker(s): Roberta Pireddu, KU Leuven
Title: Enriching Cultural Heritage with AI: The AI4Culture Hackathon Journey (& A Glimpse into CrowdHeritage)
Abstract: In this presentation, I will share insights into the AI4Culture project, with a particular focus on the planning and execution of the AI4Cultural Hackathon—a one-week event held at KU Leuven in February 2025. I will discuss how the event was developed within the framework of the project, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations, challenges faced, and lessons learned. Additionally, I will highlight the CrowdHeritage platform, showcasing its successful implementation in various events organized as part of other projects and participatory activities.

Session 3 – Special In-Person DH Benelux Session
Monday 26 May, 13h30-16h CEST
Location: room 1.10 Malachiet, Hoek 38, Leuvenseweg 38, Brussels (location is within walking distance from the central station)
Speaker(s): various members of our community
Format: elevator pitches of DH Benelux contributions

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There are an increasing number of conferences, workshops, and funding opportunities in DH, and we would like to ensure that you are aware of them. We will start every session with a moment for individuals to share news about upcoming lectures, workshops, seminars, and conferences. We have a corresponding Slack group where we also share these opportunities both during the discussion group meetings and in between. The link to join the Slack group is included in every email sent out to the mailing list, so watch for it there or send us an email to request access.

If you would like to register or invite other colleagues to join, please complete the registration form for the mailing list here. Please note, if you have received emails from us about the Discussion Group in the past, it means you are already on our mailing list. In that case, there is no need to register again—you will receive the emails with the MS Teams link and any additional information on the day of the session. Additionally, you will also receive updates on upcoming sessions including further details about speakers and the “under-the-hood” presentation topics. 

Are you a frequent attendee of the DH Virtual Discussion Group and would like a low-threshold way to become more involved in the organization? We are looking for ambassadors to promote the group within their university networks. If this might be a role you would like to take on, get in touch and we can tell you more!

We look forward to seeing you this spring!

What kind of stories lie hidden in the Vesalius manuscript, educational glass slides of ancient temples, or the ruins of great civilizations? What if ancient murals were designed to speak to multiple cultures, blending artistic traditions into a shared narrative? What if Palmyra had never fallen and we could explore how it evolved into the present day? What if Vesalius’ anatomical work was reimagined from the perspective of a female anatomist? During the 2-day workshop hosted by the IMPULSE Project (18-19 February) participants will delve into questions like these and explore the technological possibilities for enriching our understanding.

Workshop Application: Reimagining Learning. Transforming Education Through VR and Cultural Heritage

The IMPULSE project invites you to participate in a two-day workshop that explores how Virtual Reality (VR) can unlock new ways to connect with cultural heritage and transform educational processes. You will get the opportunity to reimagine and reshape teaching and learning through the use of immersive storytelling practices and innovative technology.  

Whether you are an educator, creator, cultural heritage enthusiast, or simply curious about the potential of VR, this event is open to you. No technical expertise is required! Only curiosity and willingness to collaborate and explore new ideas. 

Workshop Highlights

• Design Interactive VR Experiences: Utilize authentic cultural objects from the KU Leuven Collections to craft compelling VR learning scenarios. 
• Shape an Innovative VR Platform: Test and contribute to the development of cutting-edge immersive technology. 
• Collaborate with Peers: Engage with professionals and thought leaders to co-create innovative approaches to learning.  

Practicalities

Target audience: this workshop is open to everyone, regardless of background or experience.
Date: 18-19 February
Location: KU Leuven Agora Learning Center (online participation also possible)
Application deadline: 2 February

To see full details about the IMPULSE project workshop, including the required application procedure, please visit the event webpage.